EEUNION. 



47 



highest point of the island when seen from the north-west between St. Denis 

 and St. Paul. 



Towards the eastern extremity the eruptive lavas have developed two masses, 

 whose crests exceed 7,600 and 8,000 feet. Here is situated the semicircular 

 Grand Enclos, whose two outer ramjDarts stretching seawards completely enclose 

 the Grand Brûlé volcano. The cirque, averaging from 800 to 1,000 feet, is 

 perhaps the most regular formation of this kind in the whole world. It encloses a 

 space of about 40 square miles in extent, the encircling walls having a total 

 lens-th of 28 or 30 miles. Farther west occur similar formations, and in recent 



Fig. 14. — The Grand Beûlé. 

 Scale 1 : 190,000. 



years a second "enclosure" has been developed within the first round about the 

 central crater. 



Here eruptions are still frequent ; towards the end of the last century they 

 occurred at least twice a year, and between 1800 and 1860 as many as twenty 

 copious discharges were recorded by M. Maillard. The outbursts are at times 

 accompanied by showers of ashes and other igneous matter, such as those slender 

 threads of obsidian which the Hawaii islanders call the " hair of the goddess 

 Pelé." In many parts of the Grand Brûlé roofs of hardened scoriae conceal the 

 hollow passages through which the liquid lava streams were formerly discharged, 

 and these incrustations, which easily give way, are a source of great danger to 

 unguarded wayfarers on the flanks of the volcano. 



Indications of upheaval to a height of 250 feet have been observed on the 



